Jerry Moran, U.S. Senator for Kansas
As a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Senator Moran advocates
on behalf of Kansans regarding a number of issues vital to the state’s economy, ranging
from communications and product safety to empowering Olympic and NCAA athletes. Senator
Moran is also a strong advocate for the aviation industry and continuing service of
Amtrak’s Southwest Chief.
Laura Kelly, Governor of Kansas
Governor Laura Kelly grew up in a career military family where she learned the importance
of service, integrity, and accountability. She has made it her life’s work to fight
for children and families as a four-term state senator and now in her second term
as the 48th Governor of the State of Kansas.
Linden S. Blue, vice chairman of General Atomics
Since 1986, Mr. Blue has concentrated his activities on the development of the advanced,
second-generation Modular Helium Reactor (MHR). Since 2001, Mr. Blue also has been
CEO of Spectrum Aeronautical LLC, a company involved in development of advanced composites
aircraft manufacturing systems.
Andreas Fill, CEO of FILL
Andreas Fill is the CEO and owner of Fill GmbH, a global leader in machine engineering
based in Gurten, Austria. With a strong background in business administration, he
has successfully led the family-based company since 2000, emphasizing value-driven
leadership and strategic growth. Under his direction, Fill has become a key player
in multiple industries, recognized for its innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies.
Dr. Richard D. Muma, President of Wichita State University (WSU)
Under Dr. Rick Muma’s leadership, Wichita State University has expanded the breadth
and depth of its influence through several significant initiatives and achievements,
all guided by the three priorities he set to guide the university everyday: providing
an affordable and accessible education, developing the talent pipeline, and increasing
economic prosperity for the community and state.
Dr. John Tomblin, WSU Executive V.P. for Research and Industry and Defense Programs
As executive vice president for Research and Industry and Defense Programs for Wichita
State University (WSU), Tomblin oversees more than 1,500 staff in laboratories and
centers focused on applied learning, technology, innovation and smart manufacturing.
Dr. Waruna Seneviratne, director of ATLAS, National Institute for Aviation Research
Dr. Seneviratne is the Director of the Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems
(ATLAS) at WSU/NIAR and manages a research portfolio that includes projects from the
FAA, DoD, DHS, NASA, and aircraft industry in the areas of advanced manufacturing
and inspections, durability and damage tolerance, certification, and aging of composite
aircraft structures.
Lukas Sumereder, mechanical engineer, FILL
Lukas Sumereder, a trained mechanical engineer, pursued his studies in Engineering
Design and Plastics Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
while already working in the field. He joined Fill GmbH in 2008 and has since been
a key figure at the Plastics Competence Center in Gurten, Austria, specializing in
composite technology. His diverse career includes roles in design, project management
and sales, all of which have contributed to his successful career at Fill.
Ed Wenzel, staff research engineer, Inteva Products LLC
Ed Wenzel manages activity within the Advanced Development Group at Inteva Products.
He is focused on the development and growth of advanced stitching technologies within
the automotive and aerospace markets. He has an extensive background in material,
process and equipment development for automotive interior and exterior applications
and experience in low pressure injection molding, thermoplastic LFT compression molding
(LFT-G & LFT-D), long fiber injection molding and non-woven compression forming process
technologies. Wenzel received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina
State University and M.S. in Material Science Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Cody James, President & CEO, Open X
Cody James is a Forbes 30 under 30 in Industry / Manufacturing. Starting his career
as a CNC Machinist then programmer, he spent 10 years programming Robotics, AFP/ATL
& CNC machines before starting Open X. With 115,000+ members in the US, Open X is
America’s largest online training resource dedicated to helping people build Manufacturing
& Engineering skill sets. Working with the DoD & Primes, Open X has brought access
to affordable & industry relevant certifications to employees and service members
across nearly all branches and OEMs in Aerospace.
Rob Blackburn, Global Director of Customer Engineering
Rob leads Syensqo’s global front-end engineering organisation to support their customers
in all aspects of product selection, application development and industrial implementation.
With over 20 years experience both at Syensqo and in the aerospace supply chain Rob’s
expertise are built on a background in Aircraft Structures and Composites Fabrication.
In addition to his position at Syensqo, Rob is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical
Society and is Chair of the board of the Composites Leadership Forum in the UK.